Dave
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Post by Dave on Sept 28, 2013 12:47:10 GMT
Hi Guys, I think we all accept that our aural memory is not very reliable for meaningfully comparing A with B with C etc. (unless you are gifted as one member is ) but isn't it strange that just hearing a couple of notes from thousands of tunes we are familiar with enables us to identify the song, the artist and often the particular recording? I realise I am not strictly comparing apples with apples but the two aspects are not a million miles from each other, surely? I guess it is something to do with the subtleties of say valve differences compared with recording differences? As usual I am open to being educated . Dave..
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 28, 2013 14:55:08 GMT
. . . . but isn't it strange that just hearing a couple of notes from thousands of tunes we are familiar with enables us to identify the song, the artist and often the particular recording? Dave, it's not only strange, but, when you think about it, downright AMAZING. The brain is an incredible thing, and I think it has a special affinity with music. In the "Rhythm" program from the Howard Goodall series "How Music Works", he talks to scientists who think our brains are hard-wired to process music, since for nine months as we are developing, we have a constant background rhythm of thud-thud, thud-thud, thud-thud, from our mother's heart. Interesting stuff.
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solderdude
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Post by solderdude on Sept 28, 2013 16:25:48 GMT
It is the power of recognition by repetition (learning) Sometimes music is also like watching a movie a couple of times. You hear something new each thing which you did not hear before. People often 'blame' this on improved/changed gear (You know... I heard things I NEVER heard before) but it is just caused by how our brains work. Compare 'memories' about events you and someone else shared a while ago. The 'main' events will be similar but the details one can't remember or has false memories of. The brain is strange. There is also an app for phones where you keep your phone close to a radio and if it is a popular song the app will tell you performer and song title within a few seconds (http://www.wildbits.com/tunatic/ for instance) or 'gracenote'. on here: www.midomi.com/ you can sing or hum a song into your PC and chances are it knows the song. Not so extra-ordinary after all
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Dave
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Post by Dave on Sept 28, 2013 17:17:03 GMT
As usual, Frans throws a bit of light on the subject, but just because a mini-computer can be programmed to do the same thing, even with more notes, I do not think it detracts from the brain's apparent innate ability to do the same thing with only a couple of notes, IMO. Given the fact that humans have played 'music' of some sort, and 'danced', for thousands of years it is perhaps not surprising that our brains are very attuned to the tones and patterns involved? We seem able to retain a tune for perhaps all our adult life and be able to identify it and recall it in full from hearing just one or two (literally) opening notes - mind boggling to me but I can and do do it. Dave.
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solderdude
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Post by solderdude on Sept 28, 2013 17:35:07 GMT
What's even more remarkable is that a tune can trigger a smell or a memory and vice versa.
It's the essence (melody, feelings it evokes e.t.c.) a brain remembers. In certain specific details the brain sucks big time as it isn't designed to store these. Well... very few people have really weird brains and remember every detail of things they have seen. They seem to regard it more as a curse than as a wonderful thing (I understood)
I hate it when a recognise a song but cannot 'dig up' the artist or title though. Funnily enough I have little problems recognising/naming songs for my younger years.
As I tag and listen to all songs I have in my collection I have had some 'maintenance' training as well over the years.
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